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We invite you to explore our revolutionary approach to physical medicine. Within these pages you will find a wide scope of information about our science, course offerings, and educational resources designed for healthcare professionals, coaches, and athletes of all ages and abilities. We are dedicated to education, research, and the ongoing search for improved pathways of physical medicine. Thank you for visiting and please contact us if we can assist you in any way.

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PRI offers three introductory courses, five secondary courses, four affiliate courses, one PRI Vision Course, and an annual symposium. We also have two professional credentialing opportunities, PRC and PRT.

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This past weekend I spent some time at this famous institution teaching Myokinematic Restoration. I’d like to take this opportunity and commemorate a moment and talk about perspectives. The moment that I am commemorating is the weekend I got to spend mentoring Kasey Aikin PT, DPT, PRC, as she journeys toward independence as an instructor for the Institute. The perspective to which I refer is Kasey’s and mine, which I imagine will differ a bit. Kasey participated as a lab assistant along with the capable mind of THE Donna Behr PT, MS, DPT, PRC, who so many of you already know. But Kasey also had an additional task. She was not just learning or refining her PRI/Myokinematic skills, she was also learning to be an instructor, so this weekend becomes even more important for her from that perspective. As I spoke of specifics like L AF IR, the AIC, FA IR, management of specific diagnoses and refining skills like the Hruska Adduction Lift Test, Kasey was...absorbing, processing, smiling, reinforcing, thinking and determining how she could best teach the material. I admired what I saw as she worked toward her goal of being an instructor. She could, I think, have taken some of the material at any given moment and presented it. I would’ve enjoyed seeing her do it. Soon, she will. I imagine she will be quite edgy when she does but I think the class to whom she speaks will benefit greatly from her now-forming style. I invited Kasey to write about this weekend from her perspective and the ensuing words you see are from her. As for Wellesley College...put me down as grateful to have been there and I thank you Tim Snyder MS, ATC, LAT for being a great host.

From Kasey:

Walking into a PRI course as a “student” with Mike Cantrell has always been a guarantee of gaining several pearls of wisdom applicable day one while at the same time a comedy relief deciphering his southern similes and metaphors. This course was no different minus my mindset this go round as I wasn’t just a “student” anymore. The crew attending were primarily from the northeast so it’s always neat leaving the south and finding common ground with people on the other side of the country. Lab assisting with Donna Behr was awesome, she may be the nicest lady living in Boston. Seeing the light bulb moments of the attendees go off during lab is always the thrilling part of PRI and what continues to bring anyone back to PRI courses time and time again. The New York “triplets” were super enthused with the material and I’m always impressed to see strength and conditioning specialists diving into Myokin. The Maine crew had excellent questions and honed in on their testing skills. Overall, what an enriching experience while trying to navigate presenting the intricate science of PRI to do it justice. Thanks to all the attendees for the thought provoking questions and Mike Cantrell for continued mentorship and support!

If you ordered this online home study course in the past 6 months (while we were editing), we would like to offer you 2 weeks complimentary access to view this updated version. Please check your email for more information on how to begin your complimentary access.

This new version is co-taught by James Anderson and Ron Hruska (and their pal SYMBA - the rib cage model), and features over 17 hours of content, including case study discussions. Over the past year, our faculty and staff worked together to update the content, structure and flow of this course, and we hope you enjoy the finished product as much as we have!

*Please note that we are still waiting to hear back from a handful of states on CE approval for this updated version of the home study course, so please be sure to check the up-to-date list of Accreditation/CE approval on our website, and contact us if you have any questions about whether the updated course is approved in your state.

This latest installment of the Postural Respiration course in New York City was notable for several reasons. First, the group was a very large and a very diverse and dynamic group of professionals, with 29 out of the 50 in attendance being first time attendees at a live PRI course. Second, my three lab assistants for the course were fantastic in every way. Thank you to Neal Hallinan, Sean Light and Brad Gilden. You three really helped to ensure a great learning and lab experience for everyone in the course. And third, the new updated version of this Postural Respiration course material really inspires, clarifies and defines the foundational principles of the institute in a meaningful way.

This updated course manual uses tons of great references to teach the concepts of static asymmetry, dynamic respiration and patterned respiration with clarity and authority. The well established history of PRI using objective tests to monitor position and respiratory function was further enhanced with the new Posterior Mediastinum Respiratory Reach Test. The group did a great job of picking up what we were doing with this new brachial chain test, and appreciated the reproducibility of the test for patient and client utilization on their own at home. Another highlight was the time spent on and clarification of both lower trap and serratus anterior function on each side and in each respective plane in the Left AIC/Right BC Pattern. The newly updated and expanded reference titled "The Influence of Patterned Respiratory Function on the Left and Right Abdominals, Lower Trap and Serratus Anterior" was especially useful in this regard.

Another highlight was how well the lab time turned out for everybody in attendance. There were plenty of treatment rooms and treatment tables and we scheduled enough time for each lab, whether it was an assessment lab or manual technique lab, to give everyone a good experience. Again, kudos to my excellent lab assistants for giving everyone the time and attention they needed to have a meaningful experience in lab. You three are top notch professionals clearly committed to sharing what you have come to know and that commitment made this course wonderful for all in attendance. And thank you for helping to explain how important interdisciplinary integration is when it comes to working with professionals who may not be licensed to perform manual techniques developing relationships with professionals who are. We always appreciate the interactive and interdisciplinary dialogue.

And lastly, I would like to thank yoga instructor Giulia Pline for your willing help in this course as a class demo and reference for our learning. You were willing to demonstrate patterned respiration in the Left AIC/Right BC Pattern using PRI special tests and then receive the manual techniques in front of the group to help us learn how to perform the tests and techniques in the lab. You were the prototypical Left AIC/Right BC Pattern, representing the underlying pattern that exists underneath all other compensatory patterns that could show up in our lives. After your assessment, it was fun to spend the rest of the course talking about rib immobility or compensatory patterns like Superior T4 Syndrome, with the goal in mind of becoming like you, on the way to becoming neutral, whether we used manual or non-manual techniques to get there.

Ahh Seattle… How I missed you! I had the absolute pleasure visiting one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the privilege to teach PRI. I flew in early this time and was able to finally scratch my bucket list line item of going up the Space Needle! I visited the Pikes Place Market, took in an Underground Walking tour and learned all about how the Pioneers developed the city of Seattle. I ate my fair share of seafood and fueled up for the weekend ahead.

10 years ago, I assisted James Anderson in teaching the very first PRI course in Seattle. PRI has grown so much in the last 10 years, but nothing like the firestorm that hit this area. Seattle has so many amazing clinicians that have really grabbed hold of the science and ran with it.

I had the help of my PRI friend Zac Hawthorne. Zac did a great job helping during lab, sharing his insights with our class and answering questions.

This weekend I taught Pelvis Restoration at Pro Sports in Redmond, Washington. The staff Amanda, Cory, Siera, and Nathan made me feel so welcome, it hardly felt like I was working.

Pelvis Restoration is a great first course as it allows for a nice blend between Myokinematics of the Hip and Pelvis and concepts introduced in the Postural Respiration course. My attendees ranged from 8 “Newbies” to experienced PRI clinicians. This was a nice mix for learning and integrating effective evaluation tools and treatment interventions. I hit home the concepts of Respiration and Gait as it relates to the inlet and outlet and how that presents in patients suffering from diagnosis of Iliosacral pain, pelvic floor conditions, lower back pain and pubalgia.

My own recent course attendance at I & I, the Non-manual technique workshop and PRI for Pilates really helped me teach Pelvis concepts this weekend. I did my best to keep to the Pelvis concepts but relevant to the science taught in other courses. The integration of outlet and mediastinum inhibition using the objective tests such as how a PADT and posterior medisatinal outlet expansion tests, bridge the gap between the pelvis and thorax.

Special thanks to Taylor, Anna, Lisa, Jake, Elena and Steve for helping with lab demonstrations this weekend. I will now take a much needed rest and look forward to being back on the road in September in the Big Apple!

Who knew that following Ron’s advice many years ago to find a dentist who appreciates the influences of airway, neutral TMJ position and occlusion would take me to Vilnius, Lithuania? I have had the privilege of working with a multidisciplinary team of dentists, Dara Chira DMD orthodontist, Jeff McClendon DMD restorative dentist, and Michael Gunson DDS, MD orthognathic surgeon for the treatment of complex TMD, Airway and Occlusal patients. We have been invited to speak at various dental conferences on our multidisciplinary approach to care (Lips, Teeth, and Tongue to Toes). Most recently we spoke at the Baltic Sea Community on Orthognathic Surgery and Orthodontics Spring course on “The Gravity of Temporomandibular Disorders Treatment “in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The conference opened with dental radiologist Dania Tamimi BDS, DMSc presenting on radiographic evaluation of the TMJ. I just about fell out of my seat when she showed a left cranial side bend and how it affects the TMJ, mandibular position and occlusion!! This made my discussion of the RTMCC so much easier for the participants to understand. There were lectures by orthodontists, and orthognathic surgeons as well. Dr. Mariano Rocabado DPT presented arthrokinematics of the craniovertebral and craniomandibular areas with the influences of manual therapy on the cervical spine and its impact on neutral TMJ. All the lectures and especially Dania and Dr. Rocabado's lectures were a perfect set up for our team to close the meeting with how we work together to achieve balance for our patients on so many levels. My part was very well received as I was able to develop the PRI concepts from an Advanced Integration approach including LAIC, RBC, RTMCC, muscle chains, forward head posture, asymmetrical patterns and the importance of the diaphragm and attaining proper breathing mechanics and ZOA with its influences on temporal and mandibular position and function. It was great fun demonstrating a balloon technique to 230 participants from 30 different countries!!! I am very excited about the feedback we got after and how open minded the group of dentists were to the idea of occlusion being more than just about the teeth!!! They really do like looking at teeth though!!!!

We were able to stay a few extra days and tour Lithuania and Latvia which included a tour of a 14th century castle on Trakai Island, Riga, Hill of Crosses and The Rondale Palace!! The trip was absolutely extraordinary!!!

I am so grateful for all the continued education and support that Ron, Jen, Jason, RJ and many others have had over the years in helping me understand the science of PRI, the application of PRI for better patient outcomes and for helping me with spreading the word to other professionals on how important it is for patients to work with a PRI minded clinician.

Featured Interview

Welcome to the fourth episode of the Postural Restoration Podcast! In this episode, I am joined by Jennifer Poulin PT, PRC who graduated from the University of Vermont in Burlington and currently resides and practices in Pinehurst, NC. After several clinical opportunities which took Jen to New Orleans, followed by a short time in Tennessee, Jen had a desire to return home to Burlington. It was during this time that she encountered one of her first clinical mentors, Scott Sears who was one of the initial PRI supporters in Burlington. Following this opportunity Jen was introduced to yet another mentor in Jim Downs who would help lead Jen to the creation and foundation of Longtrail Physical Therapy. Jen worked as part owner of Longtrail PT for about 5 years in what she describes as a high volume clinical setting. It was during this time that Jen met her husband Chris, who was working on his Athletic Training hours under the Athletic Trainer employed by Longtrail at the time. Jen and Chris quickly grew their practice, not through a specific referral source but rather by focusing on the Student Athlete and General Public as a whole. This foundation and their focus on Sports Performance would continue to be the basis for their future growth!

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PRI Vision is a powerful new health care model that is a result of the integration or 'fusion' of the professions of physical therapy and behavioral/neuro-optometry. To register for PRI Vision courses, click here!